🇬🇧🇪🇸 sheriff - alguacil : English Lesson

Meaning of "sheriff" ("alguacil"), detailed definition, and a short video lesson below.

A sheriff is an important law officer in a part of the United States called a county. The sheriff and their helpers, called deputies, work to keep people safe, catch people who break the law, and bring them to court. The sheriff also helps carry out what judges decide in court, like delivering legal papers or taking people to jail. You can think of a sheriff as the head protector and rule-helper for a big area with many towns.

Watch and listen to this English flashcard to understand the word in more detail, with an easy example sentence.

The sheriff broke up an argument between two kids over a crayon and then used it to draw a peace treaty.

The sheriff blew his whistle in the library and then gave himself a ticket for being too loud.

When the donut shop ran out of donuts, the sheriff declared it an emergency and opened an investigation immediately.

The sheriff didn’t need a megaphone; his giant mustache already did all the talking.

In some U.S. counties, the sheriff is actually elected by the people—so technically, a whole county can vote for who gets to wear the really cool hat.

A dusty sheriff walked onto Main Street. The sheriff saw a child chase a stolen toy toward the road. The sheriff raised a hand; the sheriff ran, grabbed the toy, and held the child back. The sheriff spoke softly to the thief, took the toy, and led both home. The town breathed; the sheriff smiled.

This word is at the C2 level, which means it represents the highest mastery of English. It’s often used in specialized or highly formal contexts and helps you communicate with precision and subtlety, much like a native speaker.

Expanding your English vocabulary is one of the best ways to improve your pronunciation, spelling, and confidence in English. Watch the video above to memorize the word, understand its meaning, and see example sentences in action. Discover related words to grow your vocabulary naturally. Add words to your playlist for stress-free, effective learning—anytime, anywhere! Watch, learn, repeat.